It seems that the age of miracles has not yet passed.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/23/sex-married-heterosexual-couples-church-of-england-christians
The extraordinary thing about this is not in what is said but that it is the Church of England that is actually coming out and saying it, and without qualifying it to take the edge off it. The article says that this pronouncement will "delight conservatives" as though somehow the C of E has capitulated to the forces of ignorance and bigotry. But then it is the Guardian. Has Anglicanism discovered a spiritual backbone? Unlikely but, at least, it has for once made something of a stand against the ceaseless encroachment of secularism into its thinking.
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Actually I am very surprised by this announcement - surprised and pleased.
But not all that pleased, because it goes so much against the flow of the CofE leadership (especially the bishops, who ordain the priests and control priest training training) over past decades, that my assumption is that the statement will prove a rallying point and focus for an energetic counter-campaign by the Ususal Suspects.
e.g. The CofE Synod formally decided Not to consecrate women bishops in 2012, only for this to be overturned - apparently irrevoicably - (following top-down, behind the scenes shenanigans) only two years later. My suspicion is that this statement will suffer the same fate - but this time probably in one year, not two.
Either that, or it will continue to be ignored and flouted with impunity, as at present; when liberal CofE churches (the majority) preach and practice the exact opposite.
After all, the idea of same sex married clergy or communicants, who publicly proclaim their same sex attraction, live a gay lifestyle, and publicly campaign in favour of QERTY issues; only have to *say* they are celibate, and keep a straight face, and everyone is happy.
The whole system relies on such people being honest - but since they nearly-always spend their lives misleading and lying habitually, that isn't good enough.
I resent the destruction of real, strong, lasting friendships. This, after the main target of the family, has been a focus of demonic activity over recent generations - by multiple means.
In the past, two men or women friends might love each other, maybe even live together - as friends. Nothing stops this happening now. But what we have now is priests who - instead of living with a friend, insist on proclaiming (as their core identity) that they are sexually attracted to the same sex; and that they not only love but also want to have sex with the person they live with (are 'married' to); and maybe the two share a bed every night... but are nonetheless living a 'celibate' life.
It's ridiculous - worse: a demonic mockery of the sacred.
All i can add is that you are right in everything you say there, Bruce. But it will be interesting to see what form the counter-attack takes and if this is really just a means to get the subject up front so it can be attacked, undermined and eventually destroyed.
This is truly unexpected. Has an almost "too good to be true" quality to it.
Now all we need is for Pope Francis to proclaim that undocumented mass migration into Europe is not such a great idea after all.
The Dalai Lama said more or less that and got criticised for it.
see here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywsavjutbb4
The Dalia Lama is far wiser than the Pope. In fact, most ordinary llamas are probably wiser than the Pope.
@Frank - That got a laugh! (although I have recurrent nightmares about llamas, due to a traumatic childhood spitting-event at Bristol Zoo - so I'm not sure I agree about their wisdom).
Interestingly about the Dalai Lama; he used to be a great favourite of the mushy-New-Agey-left. Whether the DL has stayed the same, while the left has (of course) got more left; or whether the DL has 'seen through' what is going-on and moved right-ward, I don't know. But it is unusual for this to happen among the major religious leaders; because they always seem passively to drift left (like nearly everybody does).
Interesting that they do not specify "man and woman," they just say "people." Could be two men...
Jana, they do say married heterosexual people only. So not two men or two women.
Bruce, I remember years ago that the DL was also criticised for saying homosexuality was wrong. I don't know if he's shifted on that now. I imagine he has one thing he says to Westerners and another to his own people. Hard to keep that private though.
The inevitable response from bishops. How can we be so unloving, they cry? Do these people genuinely not understand? Can they be so stupid?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/28/church-of-england-sex-guidance-unnecessary-pain-bishops
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